VBS

So in your VBS class at Immanuel this year, you had Jean Denker as one of your teachers. One day when I came to pick you up they were going over who would be teaching the class the next day. Now Jean is an older grandma, and has lots of grown grandchildren. She has a small hunch, and walks with a cane. So as we were headed back to the car, you were asking what they were telling you. I said, "Bub, they were saying that tomorrow Ms. Jean gets to teach the lesson." And you asked which one she was, so I said, "She has the white-ish hair --" you cut me off and nodded, saying, "Oh, Momma, she is so pretty"
I said, "Bub, you can tell her that, it will make her feel very happy," and you got this look on your face and said, "Oh, NO momma, I can't TELL her!" it was SOOO cute! By the end of VBS, you were telling everyone that you want to come back every time we visit Grandma. You're having a hard time understanding that it's just during the summer, but we will make every effort to be back every year, son :)


Today, you had your performance and you are amazing and wonderful - what a leader!

I love you!

your cute words

You have ALWAYS been one to not waste time. I don't care what it is, you are always efficient. Even when speaking. So that is why, as you've come up in age, you shorten words consistently. It is not "comfy", it's "comf". You don't drink chocolate milk, you drink "Choc". You didn't drink juice, you drank "majoooooce" or MA-jooce, or later just "MAJE". Sometimes it has been difficult to figure out what you're saying, because you'll only say 1 syllable per word sometimes, even if it's a 2 or 3 syllable word. Cracks us up, but it is who you are and makes you so special! I don't ever want to forget these things, and I know when you get older (and as Brady gets older) you'll ask - so we'll be able to read these and look back at your funnies. One day soon I'll start one for Brady too,

Love you, sweetheart,

Momma

PS. You have now taken to calling me Princess, and it melts my little heart Bub. I love you!!

*Flashback*

Ok, so I was remembering the other day, because of something silly you said, that when you were younger (probably from 1-2 years) you would come right up to me, grab one hand on each of my cheeks, and then put your lips right onto my lips and talk. It was absolutely the SILLIEST thing! But that was one way you wanted to get my attention, LOL!

Oh! Also had to tell you about your "Thanksgiving pants". On May 26, you had your pre-k graduation at Kinderkirk, in Pueblo. A day or so before we went to WalMart and picked out your graduation outfit - a white/blue striped shirt and some khaki shorts. Well a week or so later you were asking if you could wear your Thanksgiving clothes. I didn't remember ever buying you a specific outfit for turkey day, so I said sure. Next thing I know you come out in your graduation outfit. You now affectionately call them your "Thanksgiving pants" for some reason LOL!

Speaking of, we have to call WalMart "Whiskey-Mike" (the military letters) because if we say WalMart anything, since you were about 2 or 3, you get SUPER excited because it means shopping LOL!!

Oh, and here's another flashback - in Missouri, when we lived on Luna, you would get so excited when we'd come down the road, but you would start fussing and yelling if we didn't turn left, toward WalMart. I love you Bub, you have ALWAYS had an amazing sense of direction, and you always know where we are and have - even from a VERY little age- been able to figure your way around. You are SO SMART!!

Love,
Momma

PS next blog is going to start tracking your "cute words" from when you were wayyyy little

couple things

Jarrett, you are the most precious 5 year old!! Today, you have decided to call me Princess. It started this morning, when we got up - you came to me (we are visiting at Grandma's house) and you asked me if I'd like to come play cards. I said that I first had to dry my hair, but that yes I would come play. You said, "Oh, ok Princess, you may do whatever you want to do," Awwww!!! Then all day you have taken to alling me Princess -

You are also learning to swim!!! You are practically teaching yourself, and you are just going and moving SO quickly! This trip at Grandma's, you have really gotten confident and you are learning how to "doggy peddle" (with your floaties) as you call it! You even learned how to lay on your back and swim backwards - although you refuse to use your arms! You are really good at treading water, and I am SO proud of your confidence and learning all of this so quickly!! We can hardly get you out of the pool! You also love to play with your squirt guns of course! Brady likes to swim with us in his boat floaty, he splashes the water and you love to make him laugh SOO much!

I love you a million-trillion-crazian!!!!!!!

Love,
Momma

PS thank you soo much for taking me to see Cars2 yesterday, Bub! You are such a sweet boy and I love you so much!

I love you a million!

Baby boy, you are such a joy to have!! I love every minute with you, and I just want to capture this time with you, and never let it go! You can hardly stand it if you are more than an inch away from me, yet I know this time is short, and one day too soon you will want to "fly" and be on your own. I love that you want to cuddle me and stay with me always, because (in your words) I'm "sooo comf" (so comfortable). You keep me smiling, even though Dada is far away, and you keep me positive about life and everything worth living for. You are such an inspiration, even in your young 5 years.

Bub, I am so absolutely blessed to be your Momma, and I thank God everyday for giving me you and Brady. I had to wait a long time for you, and I know that with each passing day you are getting older and wiser - I am so excited for things to come, yet it makes me sad that you are growing so fast!! Your first "big tooth" popped up about two months ago, on the bottom right. Well guess what? Today I see that the one right next to it is trying to pop its way through the surface too! :( You remembered today, and told me the story, "Momma, renember (that's how you say it, you say reh-nem-ber)" anyhow, "renember that time when I pointed right here (in your mouth) and said something was boddering (bothering) me? and you said, "let me look" and then when you looked you said, "Oh my goodness, there's a TOOTH!" renember?" and then you said, "Yep. And then you CRIED!" because, I did - That is another reason I want to keep up with this blog, because I don't want to forget any of these precious memories with you, Bub.

You just make me such a happy person, sweetheart! You are here next to me as I type this, sound asleep. Your smile melts my heart, and every morning when you wake up you tap me on the hand or the shoulder and give me a great big grin - one time I told you that that smile of yours is the best thing ever - so you smile at me a lot of times at the perfect time, just when I need it most.

Ok - off to my favorite time of the day, and that is to hug and cuddle you tight until we are both asleep. I soak up these cuddles, bub, I soak em up -

I love you baby, I love you with all of my great big heart!

Love,
Momma

xoxoxoxox hugs and kisses for you, Son!

Deployment

Dearest Jarrett,

It will be years before you truly know what your Daddy does, and what he does for our family and our country. This past weekend, we said "See you soon," to our Dada, as we sent him on his "big long work trip". He will be in Afghanistan, helping support Operation Enduring Freedom. The year I carried you, he was fighting again for us in Iraq, and did not make it home in time for you to be born. He did make it to the hospital the day after you were born, and that was just perfect - we were able to enjoy two full weeks with you, together, before he headed back to finish his mission in Iraq.

This trip he will be working hard for the 2STB Bn, and working with his friends we have met over this last year and a half. He trusts them very much, and they work well together. He has had extensive training, so he is prepared for this mission.

Bub, your Dada works so very hard for us, and does absolutely everything he can for us - and then some. He will miss us through this deployment, but Momma will keep us busy! You'll have swim lessons, and t-ball and I'm hoping to start you at indoor soccer this fall! You love to run and I know your long legs and speed will be a very strong asset to you!

I just wanted to tell you in advance, thank you! Thank you for being the sweetest, sweetest boy, and thank you for loving me and your Brady boy so much and helping me to take care of things while Daddy is gone. I will try my absolute HARDEST not to overwork you, or make you do things that are well beyond your years.

You are so very appreciated, Bubba,

Love,
Momma

Takin care of Momma!

Bub, I love you so much!! Even when you're not feelin good, because you have a double ear infection, you are still taking care of me and cuddling me because you love me! What a big heart you have, son! You are the best best best 5-year-old a Mama could ask for, and I love you more and more each day!!

Daddy leaves this weekend for a big long work trip to Afghanistan! I am so thankful I have you and Brady here to keep me company, and I am super thankful I have your help while Dada's away. You are wise beyond your years, son, and I am so proud of you!

Love,
Momma

Mom remembered another good one *flashback*

dress shoes? how about boy shoes

...will have to expand further but didn't want to forget!

Ok I have a few minutes now!

So we were planning your outfit for Kinderkirk graduation, and I was trying to decide how dressy I wanted to make you. I decided not very LOL! So I was saying, "Maybe we can get you a nice Polo shirt and whatever pants, and dress shoes. You've never had dress shoes I don't think - " and you cut me off, saying, "DRESS SHOES?? How about BOY shoes, Mom?!!" all disgusted-like, as though I'd lost my mind making you want to wear dress (like a girl's dress) shoes hahahahahaha! I said to myself, "Guess that shows how little we've dressed up over the years!" HA!

Aw, I love you - you are such a fantastic and wonderful person, Bubba!!

Love,

Momma

*Flashback*

Morning, Bub,

Periodically I'm going to go back and do a quick *flashback* on a memory I have or something if pops in my head that I don't want to forget. Today I was sitting here laughing to myself because I was thinking about when we brought Brady home from the hospital. Grandma was here with us, and we were sitting in the kitchen (me, Dada and Grandma) and I say, "Bub, will you go check if Brady's still sleeping?" Of course you were super anxious to help out, so you raced back to the room to check. As we're sitting here we hear Brady walking down the hall (no joke!) "Errr! Ughhgh errrr... UhhH!" and I looked up just in time to see you carrying him down the hall, so proudly. Whew! Freaked me out for a minute, but when I saw you were both safe I told you thank you and we put him down. Of course since then you have continued to be a huge help and I'm sure there will be many more stories to come -

love you sweet boy,

PS I hope you feel better soon - today we're getting an ear infection checked out :(

Happiness in the eyes of you!

Bub, I hate school. I have always hated school, and I probably always will. BUT! Tonight I had a fun assignment, to interview someone we know. The interview was about happiness, and actually I'm glad I *had* to do this, because I think I may repeat this (if I remember!) every year, to see how your answers change. In any case, here is your interview and the subject is "happiness".

ME: Jarrett, can I interview you?

YOU: ::giggling to yourself, nodding yes::

ME: What makes you happy?

YOU: Lollipop

ME: A Lollipop?

YOU: 'know why a lollipop is happy? Because a smile is happy!

ME: So you think a smile is like a lollipop?

YOU: Yep

ME: How do you think people can get to be happy?

YOU: Big people?

ME: Anybody

YOU: I don't know .... did I get that one wrong, Mama?

ME: No baby, there are no wrong answers-

YOU: Daddy is happy because he has the xbox and the PS3

ME: Daddy's only happy because of games?

YOU: ::nodding:: yes

ME: What makes you feel happy in your heart?

YOU: God

ME: Aw, good one Bub! What else do you want to say about being happy?

YOU: A smile is being happy. Did I get the questions right? If I get it wrong do you hafta skip it?

ME: No, Bub, there are no wrong answers just your feelings-

YOU: But what about the "don't know" one?

ME: It's ok, Bubba

YOU: Can that be my last question?

ME: Sure ;) ::trying not to laugh::

I love you precious boy, you are right - a lollipop is all we need :)

Love,
Momma

You make me proud, and you make me reflect Bub

Bubba -

I think we are truly taught what the "simple things" in life are, and how beautiful they are, by our children. You take great delight in getting a sticker from the postmaster every time I go to the post office. While everyone around us tends to be hustle-bustle to get in and mail their packages, or get their stamps and what have you, you wait with me patiently for our turn, so that you can get the one thing you want most out of the visit: a smile from the teller as they hand you a shiny new sticker. I used to get the feelings of "Ughh! I hate the post office, I hope it's fast; wow there are a ton of people today; ughhh this is going to take forever!" but now, because as we finished our transaction and you whispered if it is your turn, I am left feeling shame on myself, for having those previous emotions of frustration. You remind me constantly, that what really matters is being together and being healthy and from that - happy. I finally know what my mother has taught me all these years, about a Mother's love.

I love you,
Momma

So you weren't feeling so great yesterday...

Had to take Papa to the airport after his visit this weekend. On our way we went by the World Trade Center memorial on post and you weren't feeling very good, but you didn't know how to tell us. So we were outside and it was a little warm, and you had told us you were feeling hot. We just thought you were warm and wanted to get back to playin on the "EYE-P" (iPod) but really, you had gotten too hot and were feeling sick. At one point you looked up at me and said in a really weak voice, "Mama, it feels like my stomach is telling me I need to go to Heaven," Awwwww! Daddy said later, "I guess that was his polite way of saying he felt sick enough to die," :( after a couple throw-ups and some poop you were better, but not 100%. Today you're better :) I love you sooo very much baby, and it hurts mommy's heart when you're not feeling good. Love you, Bub!!

That remembers me...

Bub, tonight you were telling me about something and you said, "Momma, that remembers me about something," and I had to think about it for a second - you were trying to tell me that it reminded you of something! precious -

Then later you told me, "I love you," and I said, "I love you too, Bubba," and you grinned and said, "I was talkin to Dada," LOL!!!

I love you so much, Bub :)

Jarrett, I love you~

Bub, I'm starting this blog to keep track of all of the fantastic and wonderful things you do. You are an amazing and wonderful person, and I love you with all of my heart!! I am going to try and blog pretty regularly so you can one day look back and read about your childhood. There is just no way I can remember and keep track of all of your cuteness, so I'm going to attempt to keep track online :) I love you, I love you, I love you a million!!

~Momma